How to Ace Your Next Job Interview

Issue #2327

• WEALTHY: The sad story of Mike Tyson (Michael Masterson)
• HEALTHY: Boost lean muscle mass with amino acids (Shane Ellison)
• WISE: The Dalai Lama on making an impression

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

• Rock-solid advice on the job interview process (MaryEllen Tribby)
• Getting clear of your subscribers’ spam radar (David Cross)
• It’s Good to Know… why you never have to worry about losing your voice
• Add "profligate" to your vocabulary

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Read on…

The Sad Story of Mike Tyson: A Spending Fool

By Michael Masterson

During the 20-year span of his career, Mike Tyson’s income exceeded $400 million. Yet, in 2004, before his 39th birthday, this amazing moneymaker was $38 million in debt….

The faster money came in, the faster it went out. Stories about his profligacy are already legendary. Tyson employed as many as 200 people, including bodyguards, chauffeurs, chefs, and gardeners.

He spent:

• Nearly $4.5 million on cars and motorcycles
• $3.4 million on clothes and jewelry
• $7.8 million on "personal expenses"
• $140,000 on two white Bengal tigers and $125,000 a year for their trainer
• $2 million on a bathtub for his first wife, actress Robin Givens
• $410,000 on a birthday party
• $230,000 on cellphones and pagers during a three-year period from 1995 to 1997.

The purpose of this is not to shake a finger at Mike Tyson but to alert you to the dangerous temptation to spend more when you make more. As someone who grew up drinking powdered milk and wearing hand-me-downs, I understand the strength of that temptation.

[Ed. Note: The above was excerpted from Michael Masterson’s New York Times best-seller Automatic Wealth for Grads… and Anyone Else Just Starting Out.

If you know a young person who’s going to graduate this year… or if one of your 2008 goals is to increase your income… pick up a copy. Learn more about this and all of Michael’s books at his website.]

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"Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent." 

Dalai Lama

How to Ace Your Next Job Interview

By MaryEllen Tribby

During the course of my business career, I have interviewed literally hundreds of candidates for various positions. Some people make the cut. But more often, I wind up saying, "Thanks, but no thanks."

I can think of dozens of reasons I might pass on a particular candidate. Maybe she’s rude during the interview. Maybe he shows up in jeans and a T-shirt to meet with me. Or maybe she just doesn’t have that "it" factor I’m looking for.

But many who seem to have the whole package still get passed over when they’re looking for a job. Because of that sad fact of life, young people often ask me for advice about how to ace the interview process. In fact, I got one such e-mail just the other day. Evan from Seattle wrote:

"Thanks so much for continually providing outstanding content and practical advice. Reading ETR is one of the first things I try to do once I get in the office. Thank you for pushing all of your readers, and especially me, to achieve more.

"I am 25 years old and graduated from college in English Literature, just over a year ago. While going to school, I worked for one of the major retail chains, which allowed me to pay for my own schooling. Straight out of college, I landed an internship with a promising but small start-up company. After my internship, the company hired me on full-time in marketing, where I have since been working. Though the company continues to grow, I often feel bored, a bit underutilized, and unchallenged. I have spoken with our CEO and other coworkers to see if there are more responsibilities I can take on, but to no avail.

"I am considering changing companies, and am looking into pursuing an opportunity in a more established Fortune 500 type firm. Being an English major (as opposed to having a specialized Business degree) gives me a certain degree of insecurity when applying and interviewing for jobs. Do you have any rock-solid advice on the job interview process? I know a few of the basics - like remaining calm and collected while selling my best qualities and showing how I will help improve the company. What else might you recommend?"

Here’s my response to Evan. (And if you are in a similar situation, pay close attention.)

First of all, Evan, before you jump ship, examine what is going on in your current position. You say you obtained an internship straight out of college - and after the internship, you were hired on full-time in the company’s marketing department. You also said that you have been out of college a little over a year. So you only have a year’s worth of marketing experience.

If you came to me as a job candidate and you told me all that… along with the fact that your employer’s company continues to grow (during a time where the majority of start-ups are failing)… and mentioned that you have asked others in your company (including your CEO) for more responsibility to no avail, I would wonder the following:

* Are you doing your current job to the fullest?

That means doing the tasks you don’t like to do… and the tasks you may not think are important but are still a part of your job.

Just yesterday, an ETR team member told me that he did not think he was moving up fast enough. During our discussion, I named three very specific responsibilities of his job that he has yet to do on a regular basis or has not done at all. I explained that until an employee does his or her current job to the fullest - and does so with pride and enthusiasm - I will not move them up or assign additional responsibilities. I did, however, make sure he knew why those tasks are important and how, by doing them, he would help our company’s bottom line.

* Do you have a good attitude?

I have written about this before in ETR.

Do you come in and complain about being bored and underutilized? Remember, not only does everyone dislike a complainer… they avoid complainers like the plague.

* Are you a team player?

If you have completed your tasks for the day and you see someone struggling to get work done, do you offer to give them a hand… regardless of how large or small their task may be?

Can you honestly answer yes to all the above questions, Evan? If not, you may want to take another look at how you’ve been approaching your current job. But if you can, then it is time to start looking.

And here’s some advice for your job hunt that will help you impress any prospective boss.

1. Don’t be intimated because you were an English Literature major and not a Business major.

I majored in Theater Arts in college, and that has worked to my advantage throughout my career. My theater background taught me how to look at situations, procedures, and challenges and make them my own. It taught me that things don’t have to be done the same old way. More important, being a theater major taught me how to think clearly and concisely. And that offering an idea that may not be useable at that particular time was better than offering no idea at all. The things I learned as a result of my major have helped me make a conscious decision to surround myself with people and companies that encourage and promote good ideas. 

A business degree can certainly be helpful, but it is not necessary. The ability to think on your own and come up with good ideas should be more important than any degree in the eyes of a potential employer.

2. Do your homework.

I am always taken aback when a job candidate shows up for the interview without first having checked out ETR’s website. If they don’t do the basic footwork up front, my feeling is they would not go the extra mile if they got the job.

So before you interview for any position, go to the company’s website. Use the information on the site to get a good understanding of their business. Look at their product line. Study their marketing. If they have an e-newsletter, subscribe to it. If they have a blog, read it.

But that’s not all the homework you should do. You should also go to the company’s competitors’ websites to develop a broader understanding of their industry. In the Internet Age, there is simply no excuse for not knowing this stuff - the stuff that will make you shine during the interview. 

3. Be prepared to discuss how you keep up with new marketing strategies.

I love job candidates who read. People who read books on marketing, read newsletters on marketing, and attend marketing conferences and events are clearly interested in the field. Plus, their love of learning shows me they won’t be happy with the status quo.

4. Listen.

I can’t stress this enough. Yes, you may be anxious to answer the interviewer’s questions. But don’t interrupt. You want to show that you respect your colleagues and supervisors.

In fact, interrupting can be a deal breaker for me. I don’t care how smart someone is. If they don’t respect the company and the people who work there, I don’t want them in my organization.

So, Evan, I hope this helps. Please let us know how your job search goes. And remember… I am always looking for smart, enthusiastic marketing people.

[Ed. Note: MaryEllen Tribby is CEO and Publisher of Early to Rise. Learn more about how new grads - or anyone starting out - can get a job or move up the ranks in their existing job in Michael Masterson’s best-selling book, Automatic Wealth for Grads.]

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Proving You’re Not a Spammer

By David Cross

Spammers have made life tougher for Internet marketers. Anytime you send an e-mail to a subscriber to your e-newsletter, you have to navigate a maze of spam filters and wary readers. The last thing you want is for someone to complain that you are spamming them. Fortunately, most subscribers do not become spam complainers if you correctly manage your relationship with them.

Here are three ways to protect yourself:

1. Send your e-newsletter only to people who have asked for it.

There are lots of ways to get people’s e-mail addresses these days. But it benefits you to send e-mails only to those who have specifically signed up to receive them. If you don’t, you’re shooting yourself in the foot. People who haven’t signed up to receive your e-newsletter (or other information) probably have no interest in what you have to offer. So all you’ll get out of the deal is a bunch of spam complaints.

2. Let subscribers to your e-newsletter know what they’ll be getting.

On ETR’s homepage, for instance, you’ll see a brief description of what the newsletter is all about. Next to that is a sign-up box, above which is clearly stated, "Sign up for our free newsletter."

3. Establish the tone of your relationship early on.

As soon as a subscriber signs up for your e-newsletter, send them a welcome e-mail. Then start sending them a series of introductory e-mails to let them know what to expect. ETR’s introductory series includes articles that cover some of ETR’s core philosophies.

In addition to these techniques, always include (and honor) a simple "unsubscribe" link in every communication you send. This will allow people to remove their names from your e-list if they do not wish to hear from you again. (This is a legal requirement, so don’t skip it.)

Following these suggestions will go a long way toward preventing spam complaints from your subscribers… and having a long, happy relationship with them.

[Ed. Note: David Cross is Senior Internet Consultant to Agora Inc. in Baltimore. You can profit from all the benefits of starting an online business with ETR’s Magic Button program. Get the details here.]

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Muscle Growth at Any Age

By Shane "The People’s Chemist" Ellison, M.Sc.

"What the hell are you swallowing?"

"Amino acids," I answered, while choking down a handful of "horse pills."

"Amino acids?" My father stared at my skinny 14-year-old body, slack-jawed.

"Yeah, amino acids. These are the building blocks of life. I’ve been reading about it," I said, pointing to my pile of muscle magazines on the floor. "This is how I’m going to get buff and smart."

"Oh." My dad was visibly dumbfounded. I could tell he was wondering how it was that the family doctor had never mentioned any of this.

Twenty years later, many people are still clueless about the importance of consuming enough amino acids. This simple dietary addition can boost lean body mass. And having increased muscle has all sorts of benefits. For example, it can:

• ward off diabetes
• boost immunity
• maximize energy
• accelerate metabolism (saving you from developing unsightly belly fat)
• prevent osteoporosis

The absolute best source of amino acids is whey isolate. As long as it doesn’t contain adulterants like sugar and artificial flavors, anyone at any age can benefit from its muscle-building effects.

Researchers from the School of Biomedical Sciences reviewed all previous studies done with elderly people who suffered from the muscle-wasting disease sarcopenia and then supplemented with whey isolate. By taking about 45 grams of whey isolate per day, these people were able to drastically increase their muscle mass and strength and reverse the disease.

To get your hands on muscle-building amino acids, purchase Whey Advanced. It contains vitamin C and calcium, and is flavored with stevia. It has zero sugars or artificial flavors. You can mix it in a shake or simply stir it into water.

[Ed. Note: Shane Ellison is an author, organic chemist, and contributor to ETR’s free natural health newsletter. He is an internationally recognized authority on therapeutic nutrition and the founder of The AM-PM Fat Loss Discovery package.

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It’s Good to Know: Never Worry About Losing Your Voice

An American company has developed a neckband that can translate thoughts into speech. The device, called Audeo, picks up nerve signals sent to the vocal cords. The signals are then sent wirelessly to a computer that converts them into words spoken by a synthesizer.

The company intends for Audeo to be used by people with disabilities that prevent them from speaking. And don’t worry. It won’t broadcast your inner thoughts to the world. The wearer has to consciously "speak" in their mind for Audeo to work.

(Source: New Scientist )

== Highly Recommended ==

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But to keep moving forward, you just might need a friendly kick-in-the-pants every once in a while. Here’s how to stay energized towards action and success every day of the year.

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Word to the Wise: Profligate

"Profligate" (PROF-lih-git) - from the Latin for "to ruin" - means recklessly wasteful.

Example (as used by Michael Masterson today): "The faster money came in, the faster it went out. Stories about [Mike Tyson’s] profligacy are already legendary."

Copyright ETR, LLC, 2008